Perceptual-cognitive deficits and neuropathological changes have been repeatedly demonstrated in detoxified alcoholics. Four aspects of research relevant to these findings are considered: 1. neurpsychological hypotheses as to disrupted brain-behavior relationships; 2. the role of age and drinking duration in the obtained deficits; 3. the time course of recovery from deficits and 4. the relationship of deficits to treatment outcome. Evidence exists for 2 loci of neuropsychological impairment: 1. disrupted frontal-limbic system functioning and 2. dysfunction of the right compared to the left hemisphere. Based on tasks derived from research with brain-damaged patients, our current findings give greater support to the frontal-limbic rather than the right hemisphere hypothesis. These results will be further clarified using visuo-perceptual, tactual perceptual and abstracting tests. Age and drinking duration effects will be studied in all experiments. Initial results from alcoholics tested 3 months post-drinking indicate partial recovery of cognitive functioning. More extensive assessment and follow-up at 6 and 12 months will provide further evidence as to the reversibility and time course of recovery. Relation of deficits to therapist ratings during treatment and life adaptation at follow-up will test relevance of neuropsychological assessment to treatment outcomes.